1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a peripheral device, and more particularly, to a peripheral device controlled by a predetermined higher-order device so as to operate.
2. Description of the Related Art
Personal computers include a desktop computer and a notebook computer. Here, a description will be given, with reference to the drawings, of the desktop computer and the notebook computer.
FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B illustrate conventional computers. FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a desktop computer 1. FIG. 1B is a perspective view of a notebook (personal) computer 52.
The desktop computer 1 includes a computer body 11, a keyboard 12, a mouse 13, and a display 14. The keyboard 12, the mouse 13 and the display 14 are connected to the computer body 11. The computer body 11 executes programs according to commands from the keyboard 12 and the mouse 13. The display 14 displays a screen, such as a screen showing a result of an operation performed in the computer body 11.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the computer body 11.
The computer body 11 includes a CPU (central processing unit) unit 21, a CPU slot 22, a system controller 23, a memory 24, a graphics controller 25, an image output connector 26, a PCI (peripheral component interconnect) bus 27, PCI slots 28, a bridge circuit 29, a floppy disk drive (FDD) connector 30, a floppy disk drive (FDD) 31, an IDE (integrated device electronics) connector 32, a hard disk drive (HDD) 33, an IDE connector 34, a CD-R/RW (compact disk-recordable/rewritable) drive 35, ISA (industry standard architecture bus) slots 36, a ROM (read only memory) 37, USB (universal serial bus) connectors 38 and 39, a power supply unit 40, and a power supply switch 41.
The CPU slot 22 is a slot for mounting the CPU unit 21; thus, the CPU unit 21 is mounted on the CPU slot 22. The CPU unit 21 mounted on the CPU slot 22 is connected to the system controller 23. The CPU unit 21 incorporates a CPU, a secondary cache and so forth, and executes processes based on programs and data supplied from the system controller 23.
Besides the CPU slot 22, the memory 24, the graphics controller 25 and the PCI bus 27 are connected to the system controller 23. The memory 24 is composed of a RAM so as to temporarily store programs and data, and is used as a working storage.
The graphics controller 25 converts data supplied from the system controller 23 into image data of an RGB format, for example, and outputs the image data via the image output connector 26. The image output connector 26 is connected to the display 14. The display 14 displays a screen according to the image data from the image output connector 26.
The PCI slots 28 and the bridge circuit 29 are connected to the PCI bus 27. The PCI bus 27 is a high-speed bus for exchanging data among the system controller 23, the PCI slots 28 and the bridge circuit 29. Various PCI devices, such as a modem, an audio processing board, an image processing board, can be mounted on the PCI slots 28.
Besides the PCI bus 27, the floppy disk drive connector 30, the IDE connectors 32 and 34, the ISA slots 36, the ROM 37, and the USB connectors 38 and 39 are connected to the bridge circuit 29. The bridge circuit 29 functions as a bridge for exchanging data among the PCI bus 27, the floppy disk drive connector 30, the IDE connectors 32 and 34, the ISA slots 36, the ROM 37, and the USB connectors 38 and 39.
The floppy disk drive 31 is connected to the floppy disk drive connector 30. A floppy disk can be mounted and dismounted on/from the floppy disk drive 31. The floppy disk drive 31 exchanges data with the floppy disk. The hard disk drive 33 is connected to the IDE connector 32. The hard disk drive 33 stores an OS, programs and data.
The CD-R/RW drive 35 is connected to the IDE connector 34. A CD-ROM disk and a CD-R/RW disk can be mounted and dismounted on/from the CD-R/RW drive 35. The CD-R/RW drive 35 exchanges data with the CD-ROM disk and the CD-R/RW disk.
ISA devices are mounted on the ISA slots 36. The ROM 37 stores a BIOS and a variety of setting data for starting the device. The keyboard 12 and the mouse 13 are connected to the USB connector 38. USB devices can be mounted on the USB connector 39.
The power supply unit 40 is supplied with a commercial power. When the power supply switch 41 is turned on, the power supply unit 40 generates a direct current power from the commercial power, and supplies the direct current power to the floppy disk drive 31, the hard disk drive 33 and the CD-R/RW drive 35, and also supplies a driving power to a circuit unit. The floppy disk drive 31, the hard disk drive 33 and the CD-R/RW drive 35 are driven by the direct current power supplied from the power supply unit 40. When the power supply switch 41 is turned off, the power supply unit 40 stops supplying the direct current power to each of the units (drives). That is, when the power supply switch 41 of the computer body 11 is turned off, the power supply to the CD-R/RW drive 35 is stopped; and when the power supply switch 41 of the computer body 11 is turned on, the power is supplied to the CD-R/RW drive 35 so that the CD-R/RW drive 35 becomes drivable.
In this course, when the OS is started upon the power supply switch 41 being turned on so that the floppy disk drive 31, the hard disk drive 33 and the CD-R/RW drive 35 are recognized by the OS, the floppy disk drive 31, the hard disk drive 33 and the CD-R/RW drive 35 are managed under the OS such that the floppy disk drive 31, the hard disk drive 33 and the CD-R/RW drive 35 can be controlled by application programs on the OS.
On the other hand, when a user intends to use a CD-R/RW drive with the notebook personal computer 52 incorporating no CD-R/RW drive, an exterior CD-R/RW drive 51 needs to be used, as shown in FIG. 1B, for example.
The CD-R/RW drive 51 is connected to a USB connector 53 of the notebook personal computer 52 by a USB cable 54, for example. Besides, the CD-R/RW drive 51 is driven by a direct current power generated from an alternating current commercial power by an AC adaptor 55.
When the CD-R/RW drive 51 is connected to the USB connector 53 of the notebook personal computer 52 by the USB cable 54, the CD-R/RW drive 51 is recognized by an OS of the notebook personal computer 52 so that the CD-R/RW drive 51 operates under management of the notebook personal computer 52.
In such conventional personal computers as described-above, however, when a drive is recognized by an OS, the drive is controlled in operation under management of the OS; therefore, it has been impossible for the drive to be shared among a plurality of personal computers. Thus, it has not been arranged that a drive incorporated in a desktop personal computer be connected to and used by another personal computer.
Accordingly, when a user intends to use a drive with a notebook computer system, an exterior drive has had to be purchased separately, although a drive is incorporated in a desktop computer system.
It is a general object of the present invention to provide an improved and useful peripheral device in which the above-mentioned problems are eliminated.
A more specific object of the present invention is to provide a peripheral device having a simple structure including a unit capable of being shared among a plurality of higher-order devices by a simple operation.
In order to achieve the above-mentioned objects, there is provided according to one aspect of the present invention a peripheral device comprising a unit controlled by a higher-order device, a plurality of interface units enabling data to be exchanged between the unit and the higher-order device, and a control unit enabling data to be exchanged between the unit and the higher-order device by using one of the interface units.
According to the present invention, a unit of a peripheral device can be shared among a plurality of higher-order devices.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.